Awkward & Awesome

Awkward

Spraining my ankle during my workout. Pretty sure its not as dramatic as I am making it out to be, but it swelled up like a cantaloupe and I had to waddle out of the gym with a sad look on my face. Ok, maybe not a cantaloupe, but definitely like an apple. Which if you don't have cankles, thats kinda big! Its ok though... I am pretty sure my large consumption of white chocolate is going to cure it. I know I shouldn't put all my eggs in one basket, but HEY. Can't blame a girl for trying!

Getting my oil changed... not the awkward part....
wait for it....
Going to pick up my car and the mechanic strike up conversation about marriage and how he has never been married and will probably never get married, even though his parents still nag him about getting married and having children with a "nice girl". (( The conversation went on...))TMI.


Not learning the "Save often" technique I regretfully learned the hard way in college. I could either write an angry letter to Adobe, or just try to save every 10 mins. I haven't decided which one I will attempt yet.




Awesome

Getting assigned a really cool project at work where I am able to show off some skills, let the creative juices flow, and learn a little in the process. Yesssssss!

Eating IHOP on V-day with my fiance, and it being one of the best dates we have ever been on. Valentines day is like another anniversary for us because it was our second date 7 years ago, where we shared our first dance and first kiss, and decided we liked each other alot. ((Maybe I'll tell you the full story one of these days! Its a good one:) ))

Getting to see my friends this weekend in Nashville! Especially my best of 11 YEARS!!!! Thats half my life people!!!! Part of me is saddened that she lives in what seems to be a far away land, but its not too far for visits and there is always something to do in Nash-Vegas. Plus she and my other friend Gena are amazing hosts! :) Can't wait to spend some time with them!!

Seeing a ninja on the side of the road. I promise, I saw it.

My friend, Megan, picking me up from the car place, while my oil gets changed, and taking me for a two for one at Chilis. What a keeper.




Looks like awesomeness dominated the week. Perfection.
TGIF//almost!

One of my very own

 You know when you see something once that intrigues you, then the next thing you know it just seems to slap you in the face every way you turn?! Birchbox was a lot like that for me. I first heard about it on the Small Things Blog. Then it seemed every blog I looked at mentioned it somewhere. Then my friend Gena said she was doing it and then.... BAM! I wasn't going to stop until I reeled this baby in! It took me a month to get accepted but it was well worth the wait! I suggest you hurry your little tushies to their website and sign up! You can do that here. So do it. Do it now. 

Day 14: HEART

Happy Valentines Day blogging friends! Although my honey and I celebrated with a fancy dinner last weekend, we got together on the official heart day and ate some romantic pancakes together at IHOP. I swore up and down that we would have to wait at least an hour any where we decided to go.... but I was wrong and he was right and he knew it.... that was his valentine's gift.... along with this little yummy jar o' goodness. Zack is a dark chocolate fan, so I hit that up. Cute little jar + a few felt hearts + twine and craft paper = V-day perfection. I hope everyone has a happy day filled with lots of LOVE from friends, families, and a fiance if you have one. :)

Catch-up

I really hate Ketchup, but I do love playing Catch-up! Here are my past few FEB Photo-a-day's. Enjoy :)

Day:8::SUN

One of the ((only))beautiful days of the week. And I caught it on camera. Beattiiii-full.

Day:9::Front Door

This is the from door to my office at work or known as the "Design Center". In honor of the day of hearts, we have a Valentine-"love letters" theme in our retail window. Hence the oversized rose window cling framing out front entrance. Pretty awesome... and lovely. 

Day:10::Self Portrait

On my way to spend some much needed time with friends at the place we always seems to gather, PANERA. :) It was so nice to catch up with friends and do a little blog discussion with my all time favorite fashion blogger from over at GenanTrends.blogspot.com! Check her out. Born to blog, that one! :)

Day:11::Makes ME Happy

What is this lovely that makes me so happy?? V-day date with my honey, thats what! We had an amazing dinner at the Bald Headed Bistro in Cleveland! I have heard so many great things about that place and finally got the chance to go! It did not let me down. Instead of going for my regular goto meal  Cedar Planked Salmon with grilled asparagus and baby potatoes (mmmm), I opt for the BHB Game Platter. Elk, Quail, and Bison? Definitely not my usual, but it was so delicious.  

Download their menu here, and then GO THERE and treat your honey up real nice.

Day:12::Inside your closet

I don't dare show you my whole closet. You know when you start dating someone and you feel the urge to burp really loud after dinner but you have to refrain because you know ... ITS JUST TOO SOON. This is much like that. It is too soon to show my true, unorganized, messy colors. 

Day:13::Blue

Something old, Something new, Something borrowed, This is Blue.... and my life line right now.

Happy Monday.... Let's make this week awesome shall we?

Top 10 PINS {Wedding Style}

Where would I be without Pinterest? Somewhere lost in the wedding planning abyss...thats for sure. Its not only the best time waster, but also the only form of organization I have for all of my DIY's, color palettes, flower arrangements, and burlap inspirations... and I could probably go on and on. ANYWAYS... I'll save my love affair with Pinterest for next week.
Here are my top 10 pins for wedding inspiration:

::ONE: Heart stitched on back of tie::

This idea is so great. I might try it, but if you knew anything about my Fiance, you know that he would probably flip if his tie went missing before the wedding (maybe because he thinks I would kill him. Thats besides the point.)... or if I tampered with it. I think he would love it, but kidnapping the tie would be the challenge. ((brainstorming))

::TWO: Taco shots::

 I think these are kind of perfect. If budget is tight, may not be the best idea. But if it doesn't work for your wedding, you could always pull it off for a party!

::THREE:Headpiece::

I LoVe Everything about this headband. Looks like you could possibly make a similar one if buying one is too expense. I spy tool, feathers, sequin appliqué, and beading. You might need a sewing kit and a thimble.  

 ::FOUR:Envelope lace::

I am going to try this budget permitting. Thats all.

::FIVE:Silver lanterns::

I will admit I have a slight obsession with lanterns. I bought 15 of these for the table arrangements for the wedding. If you are doing lanterns, IKEA is the way to go. $6.99 folks. No lies.

::SIX:Mens Attire::

 Grey Suits are perfect for any season. I think they can be dressy or laid back depending on what the bride is wearing. Which means they are the perfect accessory with the perfect dress. Plus the skinny black tie is trendy and amazing if you ask me. 

::SEVEN:Wooden Hearts::

Unique alternatives for boutonnieres are starting to catch on. I personally love the Idea, and this one happens to strike my fancy. 

::EIGHT:Cinderella Shoes::

I am a pretty casual girl. I wear flats most of the time, but there is something really exciting about putting on a pair of high heels. These are true Cinderella shoes, and quite affordable by Steve Madden. Unlike the Jimmy Choos I fell in love with. Just as gorgeous too!   

::NINE:Photo-booth::

Photobooths are the bomb. The guests love them, and you get to capture all of the wonderful silly candid moments that your photographer misses because he is too busy capturing those sweet dance moves on the dance floor. Mustache props are a must. 

::TEN:Votives::

CANDLES! CANDLES! CANDLES!

Flowers are gorgeous, but candles create the most romantic lighting and ambiance. Flowers don't stand a chance next to those bad boys! Did I mention they are more affordable?! Votives... CHECK!

There is more to come of wedding goodness/madness. Stay tuned. :)

Buttons?

Day 7: Buttons

LOVE jewel tones and gold.... and this shirt. 

Not much else to say about buttons. 

Excited about tomorrows photo... SUN :)

Sushi, Wine, & Day 6

Day 6: Dinner

I had a MUCH-NEEDED dinner with my friend Megan. We discussed all things ridiculous: Work, People, Home, US. Like I said, ALL things ridiculous. Eating sushi and enjoying a glass of wine brings out the best conversation and quality time. It was nice to hang out, and NOT be in a gym where we usually see each other...while we are grunting as we continually wipe the sweat off our faces. Yes, we are those gym goers. 

Happy Monday!

Days 4 & 5

#febphotoaday

Day 4: Stranger

Photo taken outside of the movies yesterday. Z and I went to see  The Woman in Black. Kinda freaky if you ask me.

ME=the girl who "LOVES" scary movies until she sits in a dark theater and screams like a baby at the most predictable parts. I am pretty sure I was mocked by the back row, which consisted of some LOUD individuals who sneezed 12 times. It sounded like a dog barking. Moving on... 

Day 5: 10am

(( looks like Mr. Tassimo needs a cleanin! Add it to the to-do list...))

10am on a Sunday for me is filled with reflection, coffee, and fashion decisions. By no means is it a fashion show at church, But it is the one day a week that I enjoy picking out my outfit and get to relax as I get ready for the most lovely part of my week. 6 days til next sunday... the countdown begins :).

Happy Super Bowl Sunday everyone!

What makes the right hand jealous

Day 3: Hands

Can I just point out the intricate detailed engraving on this bad boy? Yep. My man has got some impeccable taste. Maybe it's a little vain, but I do still like to hold my hand up in the air and admire by blindingly beautiful ring finger. Kudos to Coach D.

P.s. please excuse my little chubby hands. Not cute. I'm aware. 

My life in photos: February

Something I stumbled upon at 3am this morning, while I was sugaring up my low blood sugar.

I saw this on Instagram and knew I wanted to be apart of it. The challenge was started on 

Fat Mum Slim Blog. The name intrigued me... and I was not let down. I fell in love with the blog, blogger, and the challenge. So this is my acceptance into #FEBPHOTOADAY. 

Since I came across this a day too late, I have to play a little catch up! 

Day 1: Your view today

This was my view today... in Target... spending too much money... again. But what a lovely view, eh?

Day 2: Words

Oh you know... just a love letter from my wonderful Fiance. I have lots of these. Actually a whole box, which happens to be over flowing. I read these tear jerking words very often to remind my self of the wonderful blessings God had handed me. One of them being that beautiful man who can right one heck of a love letter. Thats right... the 'why don't cha stand up in front of the class son, and read that award winning collection of words. That kinda talent shouldn't go unnoticed.' I hope he passes that down to our  children some day. Ahhh.... bliss. :)

Awkward & Awesome Wuuuursday

NEW DAY OF THE WEEK (incase you didn't get the memo) :  WURSDAY-- Wednesday night, almost Thursday.

Awkward:

...Hearing a ((pop)) in right Hip region and having to explain to my trainer that I have joints of a 60 year old woman. Fibrous dysplasia got the best of me. 

...Limping into the grocery store holding my lower back like I am either prego or an old lady…. either way there is not a 

cute face to go along with that crooked strut.

...In bed by 8… and disappointed when 9:00 rolls around and I am not laying in my pillowy abyss. I am 22… 22 PEOPLE! I should be galavanting around town till the wee hours of the morning. Shenanigans. 

...The nervous burper who was just showcased on American Idol.. sang "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga. It was a 'no' to say the least. 

Awesome:

... Winning a 3 day 2 night trip, from going to the bridal show two weekends ago!! Have yet to find out of its a scam.. BUT I will stay hopeful till I figure out the catch!!

...My fiance. He is 'AWESOME' by himself, but his willingness to improve our relationship daily even while it is still rainbows and butterflies…. absolutely AWESOME x infinity. 

...Ranch Dressing. Its just so darn good. ON ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING. 

...Letterpress. I don't care if its the real thing, or a photoshop effect… I fall in love with a letterpresses masterpiece everytime. 

...Getting a compliment from a co-worker at work today on organizing a nightmare Die-line situation.

...That I HAVE 2 FOLLOWERS!! haha! Not very impressive but exciting? Well, heck yeah! 

Sickness Shmickness

I have been so unproductive today. I guess you aren't supposed to be when you are sick, but there is always a list of 1000 things to do in the back of my head so an unproductive day results in guilt monster for this girl. But...  I am taking a little break tonight to watch a movie tonight.

Ironic? Maybe I should take a few notes.

Oh, and did I mention my Fiance surprised me with this redbox? He's sweet.  And he wanted to play basketball so...bribery? It worked :)

Blog Lovin :)

Follow my blog with Bloglovin why don't cha!

Earring Holder DIY

Gotta LOVE a DIY. One that is simple and really inexpensive is something I just can't ignore! I got this DIY inspiration from More Design Please, put my own twist on it, and broke it down so I could share it with you!

Here is what I was workin with:

(( a shot of everything together ))

Awkward & Awesome

Yes, Folks. I am back with some awkward & awesomeness from this week.

Awkward

...sharing good-bye smooches in the car while step-dad walks by after walking the dog. (It was PG, but Still!)

...Hesitating before I spell the word awkward because I misspell it EVERY time.

...Sitting in the living room while my mom watches her "stories" and a sex scene comes on... preeeetty graphically inappropriate.

...My trainer telling me that my left hook is like a butterfly fluttering on his hand.



Awesome

...My trainer telling me that my right hook was like a rhinoceros bolting into his hand.

...The amount of Starbucks I consumed this week.

...Falling asleep to the rain more than once this week.

...The ATL girls trip this weekend that shall take place. Ikea and Cheesecake Factory.... come to mama.



TGIAF!!!
(Thank God its almost Friday)

The hunt.

I love shopping. And I am a deal hunter for sure.  Whether it be inspiration for a DIY or some hidden treasure accessory that I can't live without, I often venture out to America's Thrift store or Goodwill to search for the next diamond in the rough. I am often successful, but it is always a hit or miss. These are my latest finds...

1. Retro Polaroid Camera- don't have film for it yet because it's so expensive, but if you want to make a donation just shoot me an email :)
2. Oversized Quilted Bag- I have passed up a few fossil bags on sale because they aren't as cute
or versitile!
3. Vase- Love that hand painted design!
4. Teal Scarf- Soooo Soft and I love the color!


Happy Monday All :)

Let your FAITH be bigger than your fear

This past weekend was very therapeutic for me. Prayed a lot, spent a lot of time with family and friends.... It was very much needed after the long week. I went to the bridal show on Sunday with my mom and one of my bridesmaids! We had so much fun and I won $50!! I swear that never happens! Needless to say I was very excited. 

One thing that this weekend allowed me to do was forget about all the stresses that life brings and just enjoy all of the love and support that is overflowing from the people who surround me. I am very thankful that I have such wonderful family and friends that I can ask for prayers and they always have words of encouragement. I feel incredibly blessed. 

Each day is a new day and I hope that's the saying below is a truthful one for me.

Its gonna be a great week! I can feel it!

Images via Pinterest

Awkward & Awesome

Awkward and awesome thursday is a must read on one of my favorite blogs "The Daybook". Sydney has impeccable style so brace yourself. 

Today I am going to state my awkward and awesome moments this week… not just because it is thursday, but because I have experienced some especially awkward moments the past few days. 

Here it goes:

Awkward:

...Having a total stress induced pizza face breakout and some one asking " what's that on your face"

...Going to the gym to sign up for training sessions, and the head trainer you are working with ( for the past 5 days straight) forgets your name and why you need to talk to him. 

...Meeting Fiance for dinner after my workout, as I tell him he looks supa sexy, and he says, " thanks, you look nice too! " …. Except he didn't say that. Hot. Sweaty. Mess. 

...Almost saying "balls to the wall" in the morning meeting. ALMOST. Inappropriate.

...Seeing old "pals" at the gym that you have purposely NOT seen in years. 

...OH the whopper of the week: Sitting in the morning meeting in shock that my boss decides to test a new printing adhesive material on my head. Did I mention adhesive? It was not pretty. Nor were the " AHHHH!"'s &  "OOOH NO!"'s  that everyone yelped as he proceeds to pull it off my matted (almost bald at this point) head. Maybe "bald" is a little bit of an exaggeration, but a sample of my DNA was definitely taken from me without consent. 

Awesome:

...Getting not one but THREE bouquets of flowers from Fiance (along with a really sweet card) because we had not so pleasant words the day before.

...My mom making a point to tell me she is a proud momma. Makes me smile everytime.  

...Realizing I never used my timeshare graduation gift from my Dad, that could be used for a bachelorette vacay! Hawaii… Cancun? Endless possibilities.

...Hearing " you have stolen my heart completely" & " you are the most beautiful thing God has ever created" by my sweet man. That never gets old! 

...Realizing that reserving our church for the wedding is not going to cost a fortune after all! 

...Signing up for a 6 month commitment with a trainer in hopes of losing that weight that I usually complain about while I stuff my face with a taco…. or 3.

...Having a 30 min conversation about mustaches.

SO ready for the weekend!

Slogger: Uplifting news!

So I have been a bit of a slacker at this blogging thing. During my productive hours I get really excited about my blog posting intentions for later that night THEN...After I get home from work, all I wanna do is cuddle with my hunny and watch ridiculous tv until I lose a few brain cells. ( Girl needs to pick up a book ). Long story short, I hope to start doing a better job at it, but for now I will answer to Slagger. Slacking+Blogger=Slogger. 

Moving on. 

I am a huge fan of "The Small Things Blog". Kate is refreshing. To read someones blog who is a Christian and is open about her values and their role in her everyday life, is just really encouraging and just nice to read. And her hair/accessory tutorials are a huge plus. They are my go to. I am not even sure how I stumbled upon this lovely lady's vids, but thanks to her my hair is bouncin and behavin... as my momma always says. 

On her blog she tells you what products she uses so of course I had to get my hands on them. Last night I went to a salon searching for the Aquage uplifting foam that she swears by. Apparently I was 5 minutes short of fighting another lady for it. 

Bummer. 

So when all else fails... or in any situation... head to TARGET!  I waltz right in there telling my self I am not going to spend $50 dollars like I do subconsciously every time I go in there. ( Don't act like you don't have the same problem! ) Right before I take the cheap route with Pantene's volumizing mousse for $3.99, I see this new brand ( probably not new, I've just never noticed it. ) called Fekkai. It was quite a bit more money, but not crazy expensive so I walked around for a little bit thinking about it to make sure I wasn't going to have a case of buyers remorse later. 

---This is the part where you don't tell your friends who work at Target what I did.... ---

I did a little test to see if I was really going to like this type of root lifter. Here is what I did:

Because I have very thin hair, anything to heavy, weighs my hair down and makes it "greasy looking" even when its perfectly clean. I needed something lightweight ( preferably in a foam form ). Fekkai was a foam base and Pantene was a mousse. Keyword: Foam.

So then -- this is the part you keep secret-- I opened the Fekkai product and put it on the top of my hand to test how it felt on my skin after it was dried. ( yes, I was paraniod of confrontation the whole time, but the rebel that I am did it anyways. ) Most of the product I use makes my hands really sticky after wards because it is so heavy and thick, and they are very similar to the pantene product so I knew even though I would be saving money... may not have been the best product for me. So I let the Fekkai foam dry and it was surprisingly smooth with the slightest bit of tack. It justified my pruchase for sure. I brought it home, used it, and loved it.

I think I will still try the Aquage uplifting foam when this one runs out, but I always know I have a TARGET alternative! 

Check out Kate's hair tutorials HERE. They are the bomb. Check out her blog too while you're there. And her Etsy shop. And... I think thats it. 

So long Friends! 

TOP 10 PINS

New Addiction: Pinterest

I guess it isn't a new addiction... but it is one of the greatest things invented next to the light bulb. Who ever is the creator.... hats off good sir. 

Pinterest is a HUGE help in wedding planning, and just to organize anything I see that I love. 

So here are my TOP 10 PINS lately.

1. "Cruise the East Side"--This font pairing it legit... and all the fonts are from my known favorite 

The Lost Type Co-op

2. "Hipster Baby"-- My child will most likely dress like this. Poor Kid.

3. I love this outfit-- She looks so comfy!

4. "Dream Balcony"-- One day my friend... one day.

 5. "Truth about Coffee"--Amen.

 6. "Grandma says.." -- These are hilarious... I laughed out loud when I ready them!

7. "Grand Opening"-- I love this design and all of its retroness.

8. "Wedding Hair"-- Possibility? I think so!

 9. "Speak the truth"-- This is inspiration to me when I lack confidence or second guess my creation. Love it. 

10. "T.HANKS"-- Get it? haha! I love this thank you card design! So clever!

That's all folks... til next time. Or you can follow me on Pinterest and check out my boards HERE! 

Happy Monday!

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

I am not sure if I have ever legitimately made a New Year's Resolution that I have kept, for real. Motivation comes in spurts for me, but I feel a little bit extra this year. So many exciting life moments have happened in the past few months, and I am so overwhelmed with the joy, appreciation, and gratefulness that it makes me really want to carry each resolution through til the end. I believe they are all achievable and will make me a better/happier person. My fiance deserves that from me, and I deserve it more for myself. So cheers to living life the way it was meant to be lived.

Resolutions:

1. Lose weight- cliche I know...
2. Lower my A1C
3. Take my blood sugar at least 5 times a day - like a good little diabetic should
4. Go to a design conference- If you know of any good ones coming up lemme know!
5. Learn how to use my new camera to its full potential- preferably before the honeymoon!
6. Save money- this is a little cliche too but very important... adulthood=not cheap
7. Wash my make-up off every night before I got to bed
8. Worry less and pray more
9. Take more First things First classes to better my relationship with Zack
10. Stay calm during the tough parts of newlywed-ism.

10 is a good number right? I could probably go on and on, but chances are the more resolutions I have the less attention each of the gets. So I am going to call it quits for now and pray the strength and determination to carry each of these through.


Now... If I could only wake up early enough to go to the gym...
hmmm.

Happy hump day!

LIFE'S ESCAPE

When ever there is a paid holiday, I am on top of a mini vacation! Zack and I traveled up to Gatlinburg this weekend with his brother and his girl friend (who are too-cute-so-in-love-it-makes-you-want-to-vomet-happy) to stay in a cabin and just take a break from life. After the long work week it was the right amount of everything to make all stresses go away. I have to say the cabin lived up to its name above. Between the timed/instant fireplaces and a hot tub in each room (not to mention the LEGIT game room)... we were in woodsy wonderland heaven!

---I got owned by my secret little pool shark---

---Apparently, Z thought it was appropriate to take pictures of every moment. This one.. not so cute.---

---Before our shopping excursions--- 

One thing about Zack and I is we are professional shoppers. We can smell an outlet mall from a mile away. We spent all day Saturday shopping at our favorite stores with Starbucks in hand... Does it get much better? I don't think so! I got a new fossil watch that I have had my eye on for months! It was around $40 off of the original price and THIS GIRL was allll over that! (doing a little jig) We also hit up Banana Republic ( Z's fav), Gap, and JCrew. We said it was going to be our last big shopping splurge before wedding/house buying/adulthood. I don't know how much we are going to stick to that, but we have good intentions!

Overall, we had an amazing time and are definitely going back in the near future. Escaping away for a few days with the love of you life is highly recommended! :)

---Notice my rather large bum in this picture.... New Year's Resolutions... stay tuned!---